Posted by JonW on August 10, 2002, at 17:52:45
In reply to Nardil - What can you add to it? - Need ideas!, posted by SLS on August 10, 2002, at 9:06:49
> Can anyone describe a personal success story involving the addition of medications while already taking Nardil? How does your experience compare to mine? How would you describe any partial improvement that Nardil might have produced before adding the other medications?
Hi Scott,
It's such a cruel joke, isn't it? You think you finally find the miracle drug or miracle cocktail, and then as quickly as it came it's gone! :( I think everyone in the bipolar spectrum can sympathise with you...
Well, there were a lot of confounding factors at the time, but when I added Geodon to Nardil it was "magical". It could've been a mild hypomanic reaction, it could've been the Nardil suddenly kicking in, or it could've even been omega3s, but while I was coming off of Nardil I added Geodon and it was amazing for about a week and then it lost this synergy. Geodon continues to be a wonderful drug for me, but not like the first week. It's possible that as the Nardil decreased I lost the synergy and I hope this is the case because I'm now going to start moclobemide to see if I can recapture some of the magic. Anyway, you might want to give it a shot -- watch out for a hypomanic reaction, though... I'm sure you're aware of combining MAOIs with stimulants, it's my understanding that this is effective for many people with intractable illness. There is risk involved but it's minor compared to years of suffering. Obviously, *any* cocktails involving Nardil should be done with your doctor.
My experience on Nardil was a splash of happiness in the beginning and that quickly went away. However, there seemed to be some sort of gradual improvement with time. My startle reaction wasn't as sensitive -- that was the only real thing I noticed from the drug. I felt it wasn't helping my SP or depression, but as I withdrew from it my SP increased slightly in intensity. I was expecting to fall into a deep depression at times but this has not happened and I credit Geodon for that. I've been far more stable on it than any other drug. I'm almost always in a mixed state filled with agitation and irritability and always an undertoe of depression and it has really addressed this. However, Nardil seemed like it had the potential to really lift me out with time. I didn't realize it was helping the SP at all until I took it away, so who knows, maybe it would've helped more with time but I felt like it did next to nothing at the time. I just couldn't take the side-effects and I've done war with drugs. I start moclobemide in a couple of weeks and I'm very hopeful about that. I'll let everyone know how that goes. Well, hang in there Scott -- as if that hasn't been your life so far :)
Good Luck,
Jon
poster:JonW
thread:115926
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020807/msgs/115973.html